(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to ships and more particularly to means for launching or recovering small craft from a mother ship.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
The prior art discloses a number of different devices for launching a small boat or other vessel from or recovering a small boat or other vessel to a mother ship.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,358 to Sandrow, for example, discloses a small boat or dinghy rigging mechanism which is provided to permit the expeditious recovery, hoisting and stowing of a small boat or dinghy in an upright position at the stern of a main vessel. The rigger equipment may be detachably affixed for use directly on the transom of a vessel or adapted to be detachably secured at the trailing edge of a platform such as a swim platform that is behind the transom.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,275 to Maurizio discloses an on board dinghy cradle which comprises a framework of hollow tubings that are secured together by fittings and connectors. The framework includes bottom cross members which extend across the width of the dinghy at a predetermined distance below the bottom surface thereof. Side tubings are also provided for positioning one side of the dinghy close to a supporting surface for the cradle, such as a swim platform, and to keep the dinghy from moving away as it is being boarded or left. The cradle is pivotably mounted to the supporting structure so it can be pivoted to a vertical storage position, having the dinghy, with or without a small motor attached thereto, up and out of the water.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,522,341 to Green discloses an apparatus for raising a small boat and outboard motor from a position in the water to a stored position against the mother vessel with the outboard motor substantially vertical while in the storage position. The apparatus has a hinge mount that can be received on the small boat. There is a unitary mount for the outboard motor hinged to the hinge mount. A releasable lock attaches the unitary mount on the small boat to prevent hinging of the mount. There is a connector on the unitary mount remote from the hinge. A lift on the mother vessel is able to attach the connector on the unitary mount. There are abutments on the mother vessel and corresponding abutments on the small boat. These two abutments are able to engage each other to form a hinge about which the small boat can be pivoted during lifting by the lift.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,483,912 to Thomas discloses a small craft carrying device which includes a platform having two ends where one end is attached to the stern of a mother boat above the water line, a cradle attached to the other end of the platform in pivotal relationship so that the cradle can tilt towards and away from the mother boat, a sling for attaching to the small craft, and a power device for attaching to the sling for pulling the small craft onto the cradle and securing the small craft to the mother boat.
A disadvantage, however, to many prior art devices for launching or recovering a small boat or other vessel or marine vehicle from a mother vessel is that the small boat may tend to slide from side to side during such launching or recovering operations.